Runway structure.



A. L. WBLHAM.

RUNWAY STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED APB.27,1912.

1, 1 21,699. Patented Dec. 22. 1914.

($51 015, WfZ/zar/a.

UNTTED PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED L. WELT-1AM, OF TWO RIVERS, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HAMILTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF TWO RIVERS, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

RUNWAY STRUCTURE.

nurses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

T 0 all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED L. WVELH M, citizen of the United States, residing at Two Rivers, in the county of Manitowoc and State of Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Runway Structures, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to those articles of furniture which include runways for the support of drawers, sliding shelves, etc., and has for its object the provision of an im proved mechanical inter-relation between the runways and their supports whereby the assemblage of these parts is simplified and the union therebetween is made more secure.

In practising my invention I employ a framework that includes side members made up of sheet metal, these side members being slotted in the planes of the runways. The runways are inserted through the slots in the said members so as to project into the space between the side members where they may support the drawers or other sliding objects, portions integral with the runways remaining upon the outsides of the side members where such portions are suitably held in fixed relation with the side members.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the runways are angular in cross section, being desirably made of angle iron that is desirably rolled to a degree of thinness that approximates that of the side members of sheet metal. One leg of each angle iron element is projected horizontally through a slot of the side member that is to support it, the other leg of such angle iron structure being vertically disposed and engaging the associate side member upon its exterior surface. The vertical legs of the angle iron elements may be spot welded to the side members that are preferably made of sheet steel, the angle iron elements being also preferably made of a similar grade of steel. The welding may be reinforced by vertically disposed cleats suitably pressed against the vertical legs of the angular elements and which cleats are in turn suitably held in position as by means of rivets fastening them to the side members, external bracing walls being also desirably employed for holding the cleats in position.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying. drawing showing the preferred embodiment thereof and in which Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of a cabinet framework structure taken on line 1 l of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4: is a view on a larger scale of a part of the structure as shown in Fig. 2.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different figures.

The framework includes two main up right side members 1 that are provided with slots 2 extending from the back to the front and which are generally horizontally disposed. These side members are riveted to a back member 3, also preferably made of sheet metal, and are suitably secured to the bottom member 4, whereby the uprights are properly positioned. Runways are projected from the exterior of the framework through the slots 2, these runways being desirably made of metal angle elements, legs 5 of which being projected inwardly through the slots 2 while the legs 6 thereof engage the exteriors of the side members 1, as shown most plainly in Fig. 4:. It will be observed that the slots 2 terminate short of the vertical edges of the upright side members 1 so that the portions of the side members.

which. intervene between the substantially horizontal slots 2 are held in relation by the 7 portions of the side members that intervene between the ends of the slots and the vertical edges of the side members.

For mechanical reasons the legs 6 desirably project upwardly, spot welding being employed for holding the metal angle elements in fixed relation with the side members, where the angle elements and side members are made of iron.

Supplemental side members 7 are preferably provided, these supplemental side members being secured to the back member 3 and to the channel iron cleats 8 that separate the main side members 1 from the supplemental side members 7. The cleats 8 are riveted or otherwise suitably fastened to the main and supplemental side members and serve to prevent separation between the vertical legs 6 of the runways and the main portions of the runways cannot be thrust outwardly. v.

Thebottom surfaces of the shelf portions 5 of the runways are engaged by the bot tom edges of the slots 2 so that downwardslippage of the runways is prevented in the event of y br e oi the ds o n ret that are initially provided for holding the vertical legs 6 of the runwaysandthe main side members 1 together. The legs of the angle'ironswhich are upon and engage the exterior surfaces of the side members 1 constitute the preferred form of enlargements for preventing the runways from being passed inwardly c'ompletely through the slots and the preferred means whereby the fastening elements 8 serve to hold the runways in position, though I do {not wish to be limited, in all-embodiiiients of the invention, to this precise characteristic; By-the construction disclosed the assembly of the parts is easily I effected since the runways are merely ins'erte'dthrough the slots from the exteriors of the side members 1 and the enlargementsof these runways that are upon the-exteriors of the side members are engagedby retaining or fastening'ineans that are made separately from the side members 1 and are suitably positioned when the side members have received the runways.

" Thec'ombination'with two supporting upright side members of sheet metal having substantially horizontal runway" receiving slots cut there'through extending between and terminating short ofthe upright edges of said side-members; metallicrunways of angular formation in cross section having legs projecting through said slots in the supporting'side members into the space between the side -membe'rs and having their remaininglegsnpon the exteriors ofthe side members; and fastening devices "engaging the'la'tter legs to hold them in fixed relation with the side members- 4 r In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed lily-name this 23 day of April A. 1).,

1912. V I n I p 7 p u ALFRED L. WELHAM.

Witnesses: I V

I THOS. W.-S 'DA1{D, H. C. Gawain.

copies ot this patent'may he obtained 10 m cents each, pya'ddr'e'ssing the commissio er of Patents,

Y Washington; 10. r 1 

